Hinge coupling unit for tiltable umbrella



Dec. 31, 1968 s. N. SMALL I 3,419,295

HINGE COUPLING UNIT FOR TILTABLE UMBRELLA Filed March 18, 1966 l4 mvsmoa 1' 5AMUL A/ SMALL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,419,295 HINGE COUPLING UNIT FOR TILTABLE UMBRELLA Samuel N. Small, Valley Stream, N.Y., assignor to Alfred G. Cohen and Paul Weiss, Flushing, N.Y. Filed Mar. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 535,506 Claims. (Cl. 287-99) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to tiltable umbrellas, wherein a top pole of an umbrella post is swingable into several tiltable positions and, further, where the pole is coupled with the post through the medium of a hinge coupling unit having manually controlled means for retaining the tiltable pole in at least three positions, with ability to move the tiltable pole in two other positions. A further object is to provide a hinge coupling unit, wherein the tilted pole can be quickly and easily manually moved from tilted positions to the upright locked position.

More particularly, the invention deals in a unit of the character described, wherein the pivoted parts of the unit have interengaging means for definite support of the tiltable pole in two of its tiltable positions.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the hinge coupling unit, with the tiltable pole in upright position in full lines and indicating, in dotted and dot-dash lines, two other tiltable positions at one side of the post and further illustrating, in dotted and dot-dash lines, the axis of the pole in the other two tilting positions.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, parts of the construction being shown in elevation.

FIG. 3 is a partial section on the broken line 33 of FIG. 2 showing the tiltable pole in one of its fully tilted positions.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one part of the hinge coupling unit.

FIG. 5 is a similar view of the other part of the hinge coupling unit.

This application deals with tiltable umbrellas generally of the type disclosed in my prior Letters Patent Number 2,863,466. In the present illustration, the hinge coupling unit only of the umbrella is shown, as the invention deals solely with the structure of this unit.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, represents the upper part of the post of an umbrella. 11 shows, in part, the tiltable pole hingedly coupled with the post 10 through one of my improved hinge coupling units 12.

The unit 12 comprises an upper male part 13 and a lower female part 14, both of these parts having sockets for the reception of the pole and post, respectively.

The male part 13 has centrally a narrow tongue-like portion 15, having an aperture 16 for reception of a pivot pin 17. One side flat surface of the portion includes a center key slot 18, at sides of which are two angularly disposed key slots 19, this structure being best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing.

The key slots 19 join the center key slot 18 in bevelled cam surfaces 20 forming one side wall of the slots 19. The other walls 21 of the slots are perpendicular to engage the manually actuated key 22 in retaining the pole ice against further outward movement when the key 22 is in either one of the slots 19.

On the opposed surface of the part 13 are formed two stop shoulders 23, note FIG. 3 of the drawing, which are joined by a rounded socket 24 receiving a rounded projecting bearing surface 25. Note, in this connection FIG. 5 of the drawing. The surface 25 terminates at sides of the part 14 in stop shoulders 26, which shoulders check final swinging movement of the part 13 in both tilting movements of the pole 11. In FIG. 3 of the drawing, the pole 11 is shown held in supported position, with the shoulders 23, 26 in engagement with each other at one side of the unit.

The lower surface of the tongue portion 15 is rounded, as seen at 27, and this operates in a rounded surface 28 in the top of the channel 29 of the part 14. The side members 30, 31 of the part 14 define the channel 29 and these parts have apertures 32 for the reception of the pivot pin 17. The part 14, in alinement with the member 31, has a narrow elongated aperture 33 for reception of the key 22, as clearly seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The key 22 has a reduced extension 34 at one side thereof, which passes into an aperture 35 having a flared outer end 36, as best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Fixed to the outer end of the extension 34 is a fingerpiece head 37 forming a button which facilitates manual movement of the key 22 into inoperative position with respect to the key slots 18 and 19. Arranged on the extension 34 between the head 37 and a recess 38 is a coil spring 39, which normally supports the key 22 in operative position and movement of the key into inoperative position is against the action of the coil spring 39.

When the pole 11 is in normal upright position or in axial alinement with the post 10, the key 22 is seated in the key slot 18, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. In movement of the pole into either of the dotted positions, as indicated by the pole at the left of FIG. 1 and the dotted line axis of the pole, as indicated at the right of FIG. I, the key 22 must be manually operated and then released for positioning in the slots 19. Now, to move the pole into the further tilted positions, one of which is shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, the key 22 must again be manually operated to disengage the walls 21 of the slots 19 and, when the pole is in either of these further tilted positions, the key 22 will be tensionally held in engagement with the surface 40 of the tongue 15 at either side of the slots 19. One of these positions of the key is indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

With the pole 11 in any of its tilted positions, to return the same to the upright keyed position, all that is necessary is to move the pole by the means usually employed, as illustrated, for example, in the Letters Patent referred to heretofore, in which operation, the key 22 will move over the surface 40 or over one of the bevelled cam surfaces 20 and, then, finally drop into the key slot 18. The key 22 does not require any manual operation during these movements. In this connection, it will be understood that the parts 13 and 14 will be fashioned to provide passage of the operating cable therethrough in any of the positions of these parts but, as this is well-known in the art, no description thereof has been made.

In constructing the assemblage, it is important for strength in the operation of the joint that the bearing be maintained between the surfaces, as at 41, note FIG. 2 of the drawing, or, in other words, that the inner upper surfaces, for example the surfaces, one of which is shown at 42, as seen in FIG. 5, have a positive engagement with the adjacent surface of the part 13, as will be apparent. In other words, the tongue-like portion 15 will maintain a freedom of movement within the lower portion of the part 14.

For purposes of description and identification of terminology used in the claims, it is pointed out that the unit can be defined as a hinge coupling between two poles, one pole consituting the post of an umbrella and the other pole constituting the umbrella top supporting pole. The side surfaces of the tongue-like element of the male part are parallel and each surface defines a plane. Terminal ends of the male part and the furcations of the female part are rounded, preferably on arcs concentric with the axis of the pivot pin coupling the parts together. Further, the engaged stop means between the male and female parts may be referred to as shoulder means, terminal ends of which include the engaged stop shoulders 23, 26 at opposed sides of the unit.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hinge coupling comprising a unit for joining two poles in angular adjustable positions along their axes, said unit comprising interfitting male and female parts fashioned to receive said poles, said male part being comprised of an axially extending tongue-like element having the opposed surfaces thereof parallel and each surface defining a plane, the plane on one surface having a plurality of key slots idented therein, the outermost of said slots being defined by walls substantially normal to said plane surface, a pivot pin receiving hole substantially on the axis of said poles, the axis of said hole being normal to said plane surface, the terminal end of said male member being formed on an arc concentric with the center of said pivot hole, embossed shoulder means formed on the other surface opposite said terminal end and formed on a radius concentric with the center of said pivot hole, said shoulder means extending outwardly to the sides of said male member and constituting one part of a stop means, the female part comprising a bifurcation, a pivot pin receiving hole extending through each of said furcations, each furcation being defined by a planar surface and the terminal end thereof being defined by an arc, the center of which is concentric to said pivot pin hole, a shoulder partly defining a recess extending axially inwardly from the terminal end of one of said furcations, said shoulder defined by an arc concentric with said pivot pin hole and recessed inwardly from the axially extending sides of said planar surface, forming a second part of said stop means, a tensionally and manually operated key mounted in the female part and adapted to engage the key slots of the male part in supporting one pole in axial alinement with the other pole and in angular positions with respect to said other pole, said interengaging stop means checking movement of the first named pole and two extreme tilting positions with respect to the second named pole, and said key bearing upon the first named plane surface of the male part beyond limits of the key slots of the male part when the first named pole is in either of two extreme tilting positions.

2. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein the key engaged key slot supporting the first named pole in axial alinement with the second named pole has at its sides cam surfaces defining one side wall of adjacent key slots, and said cam surfaces facilitating movement of the first named pole, when tilted, into upright locked position without manual actuation of said key.

3. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said key has a fingerpiece head at one side thereof, and said key, including its head, being substantially within peripheral boundaries of the unit when the key is in key slot engaging position.

4. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein positive hearing engagement is maintained between the plane surfaces of the male part and the plane surfaces of the furcations of the female part. I

5. In a hinge coupling comprising pivotally coupled male and female pole and post engaging parts having adjacent plane surfaces with spaced key slots on one surface of the male part engaged by a tensionally and manually operated key mounted in the female part in controlling tilting movement of the male part and said pole, the improvement which com-prises the provision of interengaging stop shoulder means on the other plane surface of said male part and the adjacent surface of said female part checking movement of the pole in two extreme tilt ing positions with respect to the post, and said key hearing upon said first named plane surface of the male part beyond limits of the key slots in said surface when the pole is in either of the two extreme tilting positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 772,293 10/1904 Reese 287-99 2,812,961 11/1957 Brown 28799 2,863,466 12/1958 Small 15 FOREIGN PATENTS 677,576 12/ 1929 France.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

W. L. SHEDD, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

